Oak, Ash, Thorn and Holly
by K8BNimble
Summary: Harry and Severus's 10th anniversary finds them reminiscing about their first time and who brought them together.   Mentions significant death in the past which drives story, but not Harry/Snape or their children.  Yes M/M, mentions mpreg.


**Title:** Oak, Ash, Thorn and Holly

**Author:** K8BNimble

**Beta:** annescriblerian (thanks so much!)

**Pairing:** Severus/Harry

**Warnings:** Mention of mpreg, not Harry or Severus death, but significant one which is past tense, but drives story. _(Note: not their offspring either. This is not a weepfest. It is, I hope, somewhat sweet.)_

**Summary:** Harry and Severus's 10th anniversary finds them reminiscing about their first time and who brought them together.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Harry Potter or any poetry by Kipling. Don't make any money either on it either. Just sharing the love.

**Words:** ~2,800

**Note:** This was originally posted as a gift for accioslash.

**Oak, Ash, Thorn and Holly**

"Here you are," Harry said.

His husband of ten years was sitting in the grove where they had first made love. The trees had grown quite a bit since the first time Harry had seen it.

Severus looked up at him. He had known that Harry would find him. It was their anniversary after all. They spent every anniversary in this quiet spot, surrounded by the oak, ash and thorn trees. The clearing boasted a small creek and waterfall, soft mossy undergrowth and an almost perfect circle of open sky above them where they could watch the stars before or after making love.

As usual, the evening sky was clear. Severus wondered if there was a special kind of magic that ensured perfect weather every year for them. It had never failed.

"The boys?"

"Off to Uncle Ron's for the night. He was planning a Toy Story marathon since his dad is there. I reminded him to only use the heating charm on the popcorn for thirty seconds, not three minutes." Severus grimaced remembering the first time Ron had misread Harry's directions. The burnt popcorn smell had lingered for a long time.

"And dinner?"

"Right here. I brought the peanut butter if you brought the crackers."

Severus nodded at the basket beside him. "I brought a few additional things if you don't mind."

Harry sat down beside him and nestled into his arms. Harry laughed, "Of course." Every year Severus added something to the basket.

Harry opened the peanut butter, and Severus handed him a knife. Severus pulled two salty crackers out and Harry piled the spread on thickly. He handed one to his husband. They turned towards each other and entwined their arms as if in a wedding toast.

"To us…"

"To us…"

And they fed each other the crackers.

The ritual of their first shared meal in the field done, Severus then opened the rest of the basket. He pulled out a bottle of 2005 "Tin Roof" Merlot and opened it. He handed it to Harry to pour. Severus always pulled the new item out first.

"Clever," Harry said as he looked at the bottle. "You could have picked a Red Diamond Shiraz, you know. That would still be 10th anniversary appropriate." He grinned at Severus.

Severus smirked, "Brat. You're lucky I didn't find wine in an aluminum can." Harry grimaced.

Severus then pulled out a selection of three kinds of cheeses, two kinds of fruits, a fresh loaf of bread, a box of chocolates, two bottles of mineral water and the requisite bottle of champagne for later.

They sat together quietly and nibbled their food as they enjoyed the peaceful evening. The sound of running water was soothing. They heard the occasional hoot of an owl.

"Ten years," Harry lifted his glass.

"And to ten more," Severus returned and clinked. "Do you ever regret it?" He often wondered whether Harry was sorry he married so young or to someone as old as him. Harry had only been twenty and despondent at the loss of his friend Hermione when they came together. While Ron had never blamed Harry, it had been hard for them to remain close right after her death. There was an enormous gap in both of their lives which was even more evident when it was just the two of them. They later reconciled and reformed their close bonds, but it had taken a few years.

"Do I regret that you found me that night? That we have three beautiful sons? That we've shared a wonderful eight years together after a rocky start?"

Severus laughed at the memory. Harry wasn't wrong about their start. Harry had been damaged. Severus hadn't known how to help him and reached out the only way he knew how: sex. The fact was that Severus himself hadn't exactly been whole. He couldn't comfort with words, his tongue was too sharp. He couldn't manage soothing caresses and hugs as he himself never received them. The only time he was touched as a young man was during sex. It had become his own source of consolation – whether by himself or, on occasion, with an anonymous partner.

Harry snuggled tighter under Severus's arm and began reminiscing, "I had come here because I'd heard a tale that if you gathered where the oak, ash and thorn grew together, you might see fairies. I missed Hermione and Ron. They were Ash and Thorn to my Oak. I know that sounds weird. But I thought if I sat in these woods, maybe we could be together once again. I needed to believe in magic again. I needed to find some light."

Severus began reciting a now familiar poem:

Of all the trees that grow so fair

Old England to adorn

Fairer are none beneath the Sun

Than Oak and Ash and Thorn

Sing, Oak and Ash and Thorn good sirs

All on a Midsummer's morn

Surely we sing of no little thing

In Oak and Ash and Thorn

"That night was the first time I had heard of Kipling," Harry said. The two of them lay back on the blanket and looked up at the sky. Severus curled on his side to look over at his husband. They had come a long way.

"I had never seen you weep like that," Severus said. "I thought you might attempt something foolish." He stroked the man's cheek. He had never admitted that before. A chill went through him at the memory.

It had been months since he had seen the boy. The Gryffindor Trio had been on the run as the war had dragged on. During the battle, Hermione had taken a shot meant for Harry. In that second, Harry's Ash had been struck down by green lightning. The Oak almost faltered, but instead, in a blind fury, he charged Voldemort and stabbed him in the windpipe with his wand before Voldemort could attack again. It seemed like it was almost an afterthought when Harry fired the spell that killed the Dark Lord. Harry's wand had still been embedded in his neck. Harry wore a vacant expression as he left Voldemort's corpse and his wand behind to retrieve Hermione's body. Harry carried her back to Hogwarts. Severus followed him the entire way. He noticed Harry stumble under her weight. Severus performed a modified feather weight spell on her body to lighten Harry's load.

While the wizarding world rejoiced in the hours after, Harry had slunk off leaving everyone behind. His thin, gaunt countenance haunted Severus. Severus had watched the boy since he was eleven and he had never seen such a blank look on his face. He finally had decided to track him down when he realized that Harry had been gone for hours. He could no longer even remember when he didn't worry about the boy. He no longer questioned why he worried either. He did and that was enough.

He had traced Harry's magical signature to a grove of trees miles from Hogwarts. Severus observed him from afar and realized he needed to correct his internal thinking. Harry was no longer a boy but a man. A man who stared into the night sky with tears silently streaming down his face; a face turned up as if in supplication.

Severus had knelt down beside Harry and gathered him up into his arms. The dam burst and Harry wept loudly into his chest. They didn't speak until Severus's stomach chose to announce its hunger. Severus had been mortified at first, but then oddly pleased when he realized Harry had actually laughed.

"The living go on, I guess," was all Harry said as he reached into his battered knapsack and pulled out some broken crackers and a nearly empty jar of peanut butter. "Sorry, it's all I have left. We've been on the road awhile." An understatement if Severus ever heard one.

Harry had proceeded to spread a cracker with peanut butter and handed it to his former professor. Severus had stared at it, but had not wanted to take it.

"Eat it!" Harry had said, as Severus's stomach grumbled again. He had shoved the cracker into Severus's mouth. Severus managed to swallow and coughed a little. Harry handed him his water bottle and Severus took a swig. In the meantime, Harry had spread peanut butter on another cracker. This time, however, Severus took it and held it up to Harry's mouth.

"You need to eat, too," Severus said.

"Not hungry," Harry said, his eyes still watery and red.

"I'm sure you are not, but you need to eat. And I won't eat any more until you do. Take it." Severus held the cracker up for Harry expecting Harry to take it from him. Harry had leaned forward a little and had taken a bite gently while Severus held it. Harry's lips had grazed Severus's sensitive fingers. Harry leaned forward for a second bite to finish the cracker.

Severus then spread another cracker and held it out. This time, Harry took it and gave it back to him. Now Severus emulated Harry's actions. The taste of Harry's finger blended with the cracker and peanut butter in a salty, tangy combination. He had the sudden urge to want to taste more. He remembered feeling a little guilty knowing Potter was vulnerable, but the sight of Harry's lips on his fingers and then the taste of Harry's skin had tempted him. He felt his blood begin to heat up at the tenuous eroticism as they continued, in silence, to feed each other until they went through all the crackers that remained.

At the last one, Harry taken the cracker from his hand again, but Severus left this hand there stroking his face. Harry looked up and looked a little better.

"Thanks," Harry whispered. He tried to wipe the remaining tears off his face.

"Harry," Severus said and then found himself at a loss for words. What could he possibly say that would help Harry's grief? Words meant nothing. Seeing Harry's tear-stained cheeks and wide green eyes watching him, he had leaned forward and kissed Harry lightly.

He was surprised when Harry responded and kissed back. The kiss was gentle, but when Severus tried to pull away, Harry had wrapped his arms around him and deepened the kiss. Severus began to taste Harry's tears as he began to cry again during the kiss, but Harry continued, as if he wanted to lose himself in Severus. He fell back on to the ground and pulled Severus on top of him. The heat of the body below him sent Severus's mind reeling. Harry wanted him, even if it was just at this moment. Had anyone who ever knew Severus actually wanted him?

And Severus couldn't deny he wanted Harry. Even if just this once, even in these unusual circumstances, even if Harry hated him later. A small voice of conscious niggled at him. "Harry, are you sure?" he asked, hoping Harry was.

Harry held onto him harder. "Please….I need…" Harry's voice had been choked with tears.

Severus had understood. Sometimes grief could only be assuaged through physical means. Sometimes death led to a need to reaffirm life. He succumbed to Harry's wishes. He too had lost much, and feeling the warmth of another body welcoming him made him feel whole again.

Their lovemaking was hurried and fierce. Severus took control so Harry could just feel. Their first time was not spent in exploration but in desperation. Harry had screamed, "Harder, faster," and Severus complied even though he knew it must hurt Harry, even with the hurried preparation charms Severus had used. It was obvious it had been Harry's first time. But it was also obvious that Harry had needed the pain to feel alive. After Harry orgasmed, he had broken into a fresh wash of tears and Severus slowed for just a second. Harry whimpered, "No, finish, please. Finish inside." And Severus had, working himself towards completion as the body below him quivered in tears.

When they were done, Severus had been confused as to what to do next. Would Harry be angry? Would he regret it? Had he even realized Severus was still there? Would it be like every other anonymous coupling Severus had taken part of? Except this wasn't anonymous and he couldn't just walk away.

He knelt beside Harry's prone figure rubbing his back until Harry looked back at him.

"Lie down with me, please," Harry requested.

Severus did and Harry took his hand. Harry began speaking about Hermione and Ron and himself. Severus had listened quietly as Harry recalled many of their adventures, alternately crying and laughing. They never looked at each other, but watched the night sky instead.

"Hermione was my Ash," he whispered, softly. "What do I do without her? How can Ron ever forgive me?"

"What do you mean?" Severus asked.

"I was the Oak, Ron was the Hawthorne, and Hermione was the Ash. The Faerie Triad. I thought they'd always be with me. That somehow, magically, we'd always be together. That, together, we were somehow invincible. Ron laughed the first time I said that. Of course, I had been drunk at the time and was overcome with sentimentality. We had just destroyed one of the horcruxes and were celebrating. Afterwards, Ron started calling us Ash and Oak. We ended up using the terms as our code names on the road." Harry shook his head, "I probably sound foolish."

There were a few moments of silence and then Severus began reciting the entire Kipling poem in his rich baritone. After he finished, they lay quietly. Then Harry rolled over and wrapped his arms around Severus. They fell asleep that way.

The next morning was awkward. Harry said he was ready to go and he had thanked Severus but there was no other conversation. Two months later Harry came back to tell Severus they were going to have a child. In the heat of the moment, Severus had remembered the lubrication and stretching charms, but had forgotten the more complicated contraception spell.

Harry wanted to keep the child and, as per Wizarding Law, they bonded. Severus had been oddly satisfied with the turn of events. For him, it was not the burden Harry seemed to think it was for Severus by the way he kept apologizing for it. Harry himself said he was ready for a family of his own no matter how it came about. Words were one thing though, the actual living of it was altogether different. It had taken a good two years for the two to settle into their unexpected marriage and sudden parenthood.

Severus was pleased to hear Harry say he would do it all again. He knew he would.

"You know in a way, that old wives tale was right. I came into the grove looking for magical faeries and I found you," Harry said with a chuckle, breaking Severus out his reverie.

"So you did," Severus replied. "And I found you. "

"I still miss her sometimes, my Ash," Harry said as Severus kissed his head. "But I cannot regret that you, Holly to my Oak, came into my life and filled that void. I don't believe she would blame me for my choice." Severus remembered the insults both of them had taken by the wizarding world in general when they had first bonded. The public had not been pleased that a death eater had 'taken advantage' of their hero. Some of Harry's friends hadn't been pleased either. They saw Severus as a parasite leeching onto Harry's fame and fortune. Ron had actually been the first one that was supportive, much to the surprise of both of them. Once he publically accepted his best friend's mate, the world eventually followed.

"No. I don't believe she would," Severus said. "Perhaps we can honor her by naming our first daughter after her?" He wondered if Harry was ready for that.

Harry rubbed his barely noticeable belly and said, "I think she'd like that."

iFin/i

bA/N Notes:/b The Holly (also known as "Bat's Wings") was thought to repel enemies. As a symbol of good luck and good fortune, the Holly was the evergreen twin of the Oak in Celtic mythology. The Oak King ruled the light part of the year (midwinter to midsummer), just as Holly King ruled the dark (midsummer to midwinter). The legend shows that while these two beings battle all year long, they are two essential parts of a whole; without one, the other would no longer exist.

Oak, Ash, and Thorn - These three trees are called the Faerie Triad because groves that include all three of these trees are supposed to be places where you can spot faeries.


End file.
